Sign.



W. H. BOMM & J, T. BRENT.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1915.

1,1 9,45 I Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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WILLIAM H. BGMM AND JOHN T. BRENT, 0F VIESTWOOD, NEVI JERSEY.

SIGN.

Application filed January 5, 1915.

T0 ((ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. Bonn: and JOHN T. BRENT, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Westwood, in the county of Bergen and Stateof New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSigns, of which the following 1s a specification. v

VJhile this invention, which consists in certain improvements in signs,has been designed with special reference to the display of licensenumbers on automobiles and has been illustrated as adapted to thisspecific purpose in the accompanying drawing it contemplates certainnovel features applicable to signs in general and illuminated signs inparticular, all of which will be pointed out in the followingdescription ofthe preferred form and finally embodied in the claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a rear eleva: tion of an automobileshowing a bracket of a well-known type employed to support the tail lampand a license tag and also showing our improved license tag or sign;Fig. 2 is an elevation of the bracket and license tag as seen from therear of the automobile; Fig. 3 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig.2, the tail lamp appearing in dotted outline; and, Figs. 4: and 5 aresectional views on the lines (0% and g -g of Figs. 2 and 3 respectively.

The bracket CZ has an upright post 6 to receive the tail lamp 0 and alaterally projecting horizontally slotted arm (Z for supporting alicense tag or sign in such a position that the white or laterallyprojected light of the lamp will be thrown on the sign.

According to this invention, instead of the tag or sign being attachedsubstantially directly against the arm (Z so that the said light fromthe lamp is thrown on the outer face thereof, the sign is placedrearward of the said light of the lamp and its numbers or othercharacters are openings therein; this, especially when the device isequipped with a reflecting surface also in accordance with theinvention, has the result that the sign may be read at night at aconsiderably greater distance than ordinary painted signs on which thelight is thrown by the lamp. To make the sign clearly readable by day,the openings therein are covered by material that is translucent and atthe same time aflords a contrast in color with the body portion of thesign, the device is fur- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 596.

ther so constructed that it may be folded in compact form for shipping,is capable of certain desirable adjustments, and may be convenientlyshifted out of operative position so as to allow free access to theinterior of the lamp.

The sign proper consists of a plate arranged in a vertical plane back ofand parallel with arm (Z and having openings formed therein in the shapeof numbers, letters or other characters; it has turned-over edges 9',adapting it to receive a piece of translucent material f of some colorthat will form a contrast with that in which the plate itself ispainted. It also has, pref liatented Jan. 25, 191% erably near its upperleft hand corner, as

seen in Fig. 2, the horizontal slot 7t.

Hinged, as at Z, to the right-hand end of the plate, is another plateThe extremity of this plate is bent, as at 76, around the shank of anarm Z (which is parallel to the plane of the sign-plate), so as to pivoton said shank, the free or lower end of the shank being enlarged to keepthe plate j in place thereon. The upper end of the arm Z is formed withan eye m through which may be extended a screw bolt n which, with itsnut 0, serves to clamp the arm Z to the slotted arm (Z, the bolt beingarranged for adjustment in a slot of said arm (Z.

When the device is removed from the arm (Z it will be observed that theparts 0 and j, with their adjuncts Z, a and 0, may be folded in compactdisposition for packing.

The plate 6, when supported on the arm (Z by the parts 7', Z, n and 0,as described, is adapted to stand in the position shown in Fig. 3, inwhich position said plate is substantially parallel with arm (Z, andpartially covers the lamp, so that the light projected laterally fromthe lamp is wholly behind the plate, and so that the plate j is arrangedat an acute angle to the plate 0. For rigidly securing the members (Zand e in this position we provide the post 72 whose threaded stempenetrates the slot h of the plate 6 and is equipped with nuts 9 and rfor clamping the plate to the post and which has an angularly arrangedeye 8 clamped to the arm (Z by the screw bolt t which penetrates a slotof the arm (Z and has the clamping nut to. It will be seen that the postp is readily removable from both the arm (Z and the plate 6; also, thatupon releasing one of the nuts 9 r the members 6 j of the device may beshifted edgewise to the dotted line position in Fi 3 so as to permitaccess to the interior of the lamp in case the latter is of a typehaving a laterally opening door 0.

The face of the plate j which adjoins the plate 6 is preferably areflecting surface, so that the light projected from the lamp isreflected on the back of the plate 6 to make the characters of the signmore readily distinguishable at night.

Having thus fully described our inven tion, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a supportingmember, a sign-plate member spaced therefrom and movable edgewise, meansto connect said members including pivotally connected parts the aXis ofwhose-pivotal connection is substantially parallel with the sign-platemember, one of said parts being connected to one of said members andmeans, spaced from the first means, to secure the sign-plate meinber indifferent positions to which it may be 5 moved edgewise.

2. In combination, a sign plate, a support, and separate means toconnect the sign plate at spaced points thereof with the support atspaced points of said support, one of said and close to one end of thesign plate, means, extending rigidly from the support and having alaterally sliding connection with the sign plate, for connecting thesign plate'to thesupport, and means, lateralof the first means, forconnecting the sign plate and support, the last-named means beingpivoted to the support. 7

In testimony whereof, We ai'liX oursignatures in presence of twowitnesses. WILLIAM H. BOMM. JUHN T. BRENT. I/Vitnessesz i J. LINDSTEWART,

O. BELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gomrnissioner of Eatents. Washington, I). C.

